The much-anticipated Perseids meteor shower is set to peak this week, particularly from the evening of August 12 through the early morning of August 13.
For stargazers in Massachusetts, this event promises the potential for dozens of meteors every hour, although visibility may be impacted by weather conditions.
Local amateur astronomer and Sky & Telescope senior editor Kelly Beatty has shared insights, encouraging everyone to enjoy the cosmic show despite less-than-ideal circumstances.
Named after the constellation Perseus, the Perseids meteor shower is an annual spectacle where meteors appear to originate from this constellation.
However, these meteors are actually remnants of debris from the comet Swift Tuttle, which leaves rubble in its wake as it orbits the sun.
“Now, the comet’s nowhere near the Earth right now. But all that debris is circling around the sun,” Beatty explained.
“And every August we plow through that river of rubble.”
When meteors streak across the night sky, the brilliant light observed is due to the gas produced when debris strikes the Earth’s atmosphere at an impressive speed of 37 miles per second.
Interestingly, the fragments themselves are rather small, often comparable in size to a pea.
Beatty likened them to Grape-Nuts cereal, describing them as irregularly shaped, dense nuggets.
Despite the excitement surrounding the Perseids, weather conditions in Massachusetts may pose some challenges.
The meteor shower is known for its prolific nature, with the potential to view one to two meteors per minute during perfect viewing conditions.
However, recent nights have brought cloud cover, negatively affecting visibility.
Worse still, a nearly full moon is predicted to shine brightly on the night of August 12, according to the American Meteor Society.
Beatty cautioned that while the moon will obscure fainter meteors, there will still be opportunities to catch some of the brighter displays.
“You will see the brightest ones,” he reassured.
“For every few faint ones there are, there’s going to be one or two bright ones, and I will say that the later you stay up at night, the more meteors you’re going to see.”
For those eager to witness the meteor shower, Beatty shared some tips on where to find the best viewing spots.
Urban areas are often littered with light pollution, making it harder to see the meteors.
He encourages individuals to venture outside Boston to areas with darker skies for optimal views.
If leaving the city isn’t feasible, he suggests finding open spaces away from direct lighting, such as local sports fields.
Favorites include Robbins Farm Park in Arlington and Great Brook Farm State Park in Carlisle.
Ultimately, Beatty emphasizes that curiosity about the stars is the most important prerequisite for enjoying this experience.
“We amateur astronomers really encourage people to just go out and look up,” he said.
“Yes, astronomy can be hard. I can talk about black holes and dark matter, and all of that stuff.
But at its core, astronomy is really beautiful, and meteor showers are just fun to watch.”
The Perseids meteor shower will remain visible in New England until the end of August, providing numerous chances to catch this celestial display.
image source from：wbur
